- Email: [email protected]
BRITISH MEDICAL ASSOCIATION, EXETER HALL. Tuesday, February 12th, 1839.
768
’’ The inaummation of the inner membrane of the bladder extends itself either over the whole bladder, or else is limited to some particular part of it ; most commonly that part of it which adjoins the neck of the bladder is found in a state of inflammation. The inner membrane is sometimes covered with coagulable lymph ; this adventitious substance has been found projecting into the cavity of the bladder; and portions of it, during life, have been occasionally
the decoction of wild carrot seeds and parsly breakstone, small doses of copaiba and essential oil of cubebs, infusion of hops and the alkalies, will, all in their turn, be found useful. " Mercury is not of use in this form of inflammation, excepting at its commence-
pint of water,
ment.
" The greatest attention should be paid to the diet of the patient. Animal food, wine, spirits, and acid drinks, should be inter. dicted; the diet should be light, consisting separated."—p.52. of bland, farinaceous food; and the drink, Having described the pathology of this of water, toast and water, and linseed tea; alfection, and the different diseases with but not to such an extent as to increase, in which it might be confounded, Mr. Coulson any very considerable degree, the secretion of urine. The patient should also be kept thus explains the treatment :as quiet as possible, and in rather a warm Blood should be taken at the commence- temperature."—pp. 55—58. ment by the application of leeches to the The above extracts will enable the reader hypogastric region, and they should be repeated so long as the severity of the pain to form an opinion of the merits of Mr. continues, and the strength of the patient Coulson’s treatise. will allow. Commonly, however, the loss of much blood cannot be borne. The most valuable remedy at the early stage is morphium or opium (I prefer the former), given in sufflcient doses to allay the pain about BRITISH MEDICAL ASSOCIATION, the bladder and along the urethra, as well EXETER HALL. as the frequent desire to pass the urine. These are the most distressing of the whole Tuesday, February 12th, 1839. class of symptoms ; and if unmitigated, they soon wear out and exhaust the strength of DR. WEBSTER in the Chair. the patient; but if only a few hours’inter- New members proposed and elected :mission be obtained in the day, some chance P. ’V. Bain, Esq., M D., Blackwall, may exist for the recovery of the patient. F. G. Fowke, Esq., Dover-road, w In addition to the internal use of opium,
morphium, anodyne injections, or suppositories, should be exhibited at bedtime, and great relief will be -experienced from their or
T.
Hodges, Esq.
Mr. John Rodney Ward, of Bridgewater, forwarded a guinea, with the request that Some practitioners recommend the he might be received a member of the Asso. use. injection of oil and opium, and other reme- ciation ; but no one oflering to propose him, dies, into the hladder, by means of a gum he could not be elected, and the prottered elastic catheter; and in one of my patients subscription was returned. A letter was read by the President, from this plan had been tried at the suggestion of an eminent physician, prior to the patient Mr. Heyward, of Egham, complaining that being placed under my care, bnt no benefit the system of tender had again been resorted In fact, to, and that a stranger had been introduced was derived from this treatment. the pain and irritation which are experienced into the Union. The President was requested from the introduction of any instrument to communicate with Mr. Heyward, and to along the urethra, are so severe, as to deter elicit the particulars of the case to which me from employing this plan ; and unless that gentleman had directed the attention of there be retention of urine, which is very the Council. A discussion took place upon a document rare in this form of disease, the use of the catheter, sounds, and bougies, should be par- entitled " Propositions relative to the Education and Privileges of Graduates in Mediticularly avoided. " It will be advantageous to employ cotin- cine, and Medical Practitioners, agreed on ter-irritation above the pubes; and the hip- by the Medical and Surgical Assessors in bath at night will be found very serviceable. the University, the Royal College of Phy" In the treatment of these cases, how- sicians, and the Royal College of Surgeons, ever, we find that no remedy, opium or Edinburgh." In consequence of the exten. morphium, perhaps, excepted, long retains sive bearing of the subject, its consideration any influence over this complaint. The was deferred until the next meeting. Numerous subscriptions to the MEDICAL practitioner must be armed with a variety of agents, so as to be able to substitute one for CORONErt’s ELECTION FUND were received; anuther when it loses its effect. An infusion and a great portion of the evening was em. of diosma, in the proportion of an ounce to a ployed in forwarding this business. The
769
following is
the substance of the conversa- stance that Mr.
Wakley
had
manfully
come
forward to assert their cause. He believed tion. The PRESIDENT considered that the election that Mr. Waklev would be successful; but -
of a Medical Coroner in Middlesex would be a great triumph for the medical profession. It was notorious that the medical profession was held in much less estimaThe clergy had tion than it deserved. endowment from the statean ample rioted in rich benefices—and sent their Exeters and their Londons to the Lords, to browbeat the Government and vindicate the privileges of their order. The Army and Navy had their representatives-ready on all occasions to assert their utility and glory. The lawyers sent Chancellors and Judges to the Lords, and some sixty barristers to the the Commons; the consequence was that the Government was compelled to inundate all the public offices and commissions with briefless barristers, and on every occasion to set aside members of the medical profession, in every place where there was either emolument or honour to be reaped. The inspectors of factories, who had to ascertain the effects of factory labour upon the poor children’s health, were not medical men. Only one of the inspectors of prisons was a medical man. The members of the medical profession were driven to compete for some hundred a year at prisons; or to contend in the arena of the workhouses, or courts of guardians, for paltry salaries which would scarcely enable them to supply the suffering poor with remedies. The prospect, he confessed, was gloomy-the degradation deep ; but the members of the medical profession must look to their own right arms for salvation. They must display public spirit; look before them at ultimate consequences; and be ready to make present sacrifices for their attainment ; without this it was in vain to expect to see the medical profession elevated to its natural, useful and honourable position in Society. He considered that one of the first and most practical modes of forwarding the spirit of improvement which had begun to manifest itself, was the placing medical men in offices where they could be serviceable to the country—more serviceable than any other class or profession of men. The Coronership He admitted that was one of those offices. some knowledge of law was required in this office ; a little more perhaps than was possessed by some magistrates ; but what was that compared with the medical knowledge, the skill in the multifarious, diflicult, complicated doctrines of medical jurisprudence, which were indispensable, if the Coroner wished to conduct the inquest into the causes of death satisfactorilyThis was all certain. It would, ere long, be universally admitted. But at present it needed a powerful champion in Middlesex, and one who had a strong hold on the freeholders. He therefore congratulated the Council and the Association on the circum-
he must call upon his brethren to use their utmost exertions, and to come forward in a determined manner if they meant to ensure and share the triumph. He would, however, refer to his letter for further details. Mr. DAVIDSON thought the profession was only powerless because no means had been taken to organise its resources. He believed that this subscription, and the energy displayed at the present election, would be of great use in showing the isolated members of the medical profession that they were not such feeble or broken reeds as some would have them believe. It would show that they could forget petty and party jealousies, and that they were not the only class in the community who could not generously and zealously work together for a common purpose. He hoped and believed that the results of the subscription list-the sum total, lie meant, at the bottom of it-would prove creditable to a libei-al profession. If waited upon, he had no doubt that every physician, surgeon, and general practitioner in the kingdom,forgetting party differences, and only recollecting the greatness of the cause, and its
bearing
on
the
general interest,-would con-
tribute something to its success. Machiavelli had maintained that men were the sinews of war, and this in opposition to the general opinion; but the great political writer of Florence would have admitted, with every man in England, that the sinews of an election, if they were not of gold, were at least moved, galvanised, by that astonishing metal. He called, therefore, for a strong battery-the plates he would not countand had to express, in concluding, his full confidence in the exertions of his brethren. But what they did he begged they would do
quickly.
-
Mr. W. FARR said that the most respectable members of the legal professionJudges and independent barristers-had not hesitated to state, that no one, who had not received a medical education, could satisfactorily preside over the Coroner’s Court. That opinion had been strongly expressed by the Association. It appeared to be gaining ground among the attorneys; for it was a singular circumstance that no attorney of great credit or standing in the County of Middlesex, had become a candidate for the office of Coroner; and it was not to be conceived that several would not have beenready to offer themselves, if they had not instinctively felt that they were entirely unqualified by education for the discharge of the duties of the Coroner’s oflice. That deep, and he had no doubt conscientious, conviction, appeared to have been momentarily stifled in Mr. Burchell, by his near affinity to the Under-Sherin, and the prospect this gave him of success. Besides, as no modi,
70 He was came forward, he might, natu- and, in fact, in every other county. rally enough, have concluded that he should not going to pronounce a panegyric upon not make the first, or the worst, of what he Mr. Wakley, even for electioneering purmay have admitted was a bad, inefficient poses, but it must be said, and no one could class-Attorney Coroners. As soon as a contradict it, that Mr. Wakley had always medical candidate appeared, and Mr. Wak- devoted himself to the true interests of the ley, the champion of the medical cause, was medical profession, with undeviating fidelity, announced, Mr. Burchell listened to his with singleness of purpose, through evil and He had, perhaps, conscientious scruples—his relationship to through good report. the Under-slxeriif appeared to him in a new fallen into error in some matters of detail; light, and he disappeared. Mr. Adey, who his ardour and the contemplation of abuses had failed from the horizon before Mr. Bur- had, perhaps, led him sometimes to express cal candidate
then showed himself a second time- himself strongly, but no one ever saw him and advertised his "small merits,"-but shrink from the support of truth, or flinch an with what intentions, besides those of put- instant from the high office he had underting the medical candidate to expense, it taken. Turnover the pages of THE LANCET, It was not easy to and no instance of tergiversation would be was difficult to divine. say what this candidate’s views of his qua- discovered ; no savour of corruption ; no lifications for the office might be, or what sleeping and no slumbering where the subsection of his profession, or what party he stantial interests of the great body of the represented, as he was quite unknown. This, profession were concerned. In this straight. however, Mr. Adey perhaps considered an forward career how many sacrifices must advantage, as he expressed a desire not to have been made those acquainted with the appeal to the electors’ prejudices. No at- history of the press best knew. This contempt should be made to procure the retire- duct-like honesty of every kind-was its ment of the legal candidate-of Mr. Adey- own reward. THE LANCET, in carrying medi-
chell,
who had taken such energetic measures to his cause and his profession with glory. He was glad Mr. Wakley had come forward, but confessed that he scarcely expected at first that that gentleman would have become a candidate. A medical man called on him (Mr. F.) and expressed a disposition to contest the office with Mr. Burchell if Mr. Wakley would not ; to which he did not hesitate to answer that it could scarcely be expected Mr. Wakley, with his present engagements, would undertake the onerous duties of the oflice for the remuneration attached to it, or the honour of the appointment. The gross receipts of the office were said to be 11001. a year: and there were two inquests a day, on an average, in different parts of the county. Four horses were required, and attendants had to be paid. A clerk was indispensable. So that the remuneration was reduced to an inconsiderable sum when these necessary deduc.tions were made. He was gratified to learn that Mr. Wakley did not look at the matter in merely a pecuniary light; for it would be admitted by all parties that, in the hands of any other candidate, the medical cause would have had but a poor chance of success, opposed to the brother of the Under-Sheriff and the attorneys of Middlesex. What was the state of things ? Here was the Coronership of Middlesex declared vacant, which Mr. Wakley had before contested-an office which he was the first to assert could only be tilled efficiently by medical men,-and no medical candidate carne forward that was likely to ensure a majority of the freeholders’ suffrages,—the place and the principle were about to be sacrificed, and another attorney coroner was about to hoist his victorious cover
flag
over our
fallen
cal information into every part of the kingdom, had done incalculable good, and had very naturally obtained a more extensive circulation than any other medical journal in Europe. If Mr. Wakley had always asserted the rights of the profession in THE LANCET, he had not deserted their interests in the House of Commons. The Medical Witnesses’ Act was one proof of it: the late inquiry before the Poor-Law Committee was another. The Association had stated, and they knew it to be true, that but for Mr. Wakley the evidence would probably never have been given, or have been given very
and unsatisfactorily. With of Mr. Wakley’s unabated devotion to the principles which he had always advocated, it was not surprising that he should overlook the labour, the risk, and the great pecuniary sacrifices which the contest involved, to assert the important prin. ciple that men who have received a medical education are alone qualified to fill the office. No doubt, however, could be entertained that Mr. Wakley would be returned free of expense, if the friends of the cause would exert themselves in the slightest degree. It was rumoured that the contest would cost 3000l. Why, if a fifth part of the profession subscribed one guinea each the sum would be raised. If the medical witnesses would subscribe half the guineas they had earned and received, since the passing of the bill, the sum would be exceeded. It would be very strange if, on an emergency, the medical profession could not raise a rent, equal to the annual rent raised by the poor peasantry of Ireland for a purely political purnot surprised pose. He had said he w&ts that Mr. Wakley became a candidate; he
imperfectly these proofs
profession in Middlesex, should
be
surprised and ashamed if, iu this
771
extremity ; ; no external parts of generation existed ; the body of 1830. Mr. HOOPER, Mr. CRISP, Mr. EVANS, and terminated in a left leg, which was, comother gentlemen made several observations, paratively speaking, well-formed ; the foot which we are unable to give, as our report had but three toes. Immediately !beneath has already extended to a considerable the skin the cellular tissue was distended in all directions by a large quantity of length. The meeting was adjourned to Tuesday limpid fluid. The head, which now bears some slight resemblance to a cat’s in general next. configuration, has an occipital, parietal, and
Wakley had a farthing to pay, in responding to the right upper addition to the 50001. sunk in the election the funis was in its proper place case, Mr.
-
frontal bones, from which stand out numerous There are no orbits or nasal cavities. The lower-jaw, rudely formed, is anchylosed to the skull, and contains a few Saturday, February 9, 1839. sockets, and fewer teeth. In the situation of the mouth is an opening through which a Mr. HALE THOMSON, President. bougie might be passed into a short canal MONSTROUS BIRTH.—DOES THE MIND OF THE which terminates in the neck, in a cuI de MOTHER INFLUENCE THE FORMATION OF sac ; the anterior paries of this pouch being HER OFFSPRING ?—REMARKABLE BIRTHS.formed by the tongue, whose base is conSINGULAR MALFORMATIONS. nected with an os hyoides, there being to Mr. E. CANTON exhibited a monster to the the latter a right omo-hyoid muscle atSociety, and related the following particulars. tached. On either side is a clavicle, one The woman who was delivered of this lusus tolerably well formed, the other but a rough naturœ was thirty-three years of age, and specimen ; the clavicles occupy their proper the mother of seven well-formed children. place. The scapulx are small and surShe was taken in labour of her eighth child rounded by muscular bundles. The sternoon the 27th of November last, and was mastoid muscles are well developed, having attended by Mr. Skegg, of Trafalgar-square. theirordinary origin and insertion ; the right The labour was not tedious, and she was pectoralis major is very perfect, and has its soon delivered of a well-formed female insertion into the part answering to the right child. It was found after this delivery that arm ; some abdominal muscles existed ; the the womb was still occupied by something, vascular portion of the funis consists of an and after a time this proved to be the artery and a vein ; the latter passes upwards monster exhibited, and which was brought behind the sternum, first giving off a small through the external parts with some diffi- branch to the mesentery, it then bifurcates eulty. On examination, it was found that and branches go off in the direction of the the infant and monster had been contained carotid, inferior maxillary, the subclavian, ocin the same membranes, there being two cipital, internal carotid, and axillary arteries; placentae united at their edges ; the umbili- from the lower part of the vein a branch cal chord of the monster being unusually passes in front of the intestines to the thigh ; short and small. The woman has done well, the umbilical artery is uninjected, and not and does not remember having had any fright traced ; behind the sternum is a membranous during her pregnancy. The weight of the pouch, about the size of a chesnut, which no ingress to it; several coils of intesmalformed growth was four pounds two ounces. The circumference of the largest tines pass off from this, and the bowel terpart was sixteen inches, and the length from minates in a cul de sac; the left kidney the vertex to the toes, sixteen and a half occupies its usual situation ; two nerves inches. The monster appeared to the nar- issue from the base of the brain, and convergrator to come under the second class of mal- ing, descend to the large pouch alluded to ; formations described by Dr. Denman, de- these, it was presumed, would answer to pending on deficiency or want of parts. the pneumogastric nerves, and were the The appearance it presented before dissection only ones he had met with in the dissecwas exactly that of a hand of pork. The tion ; the placentae were adherent. head and body were incorporated, and on Dr. JOHNSON thought the case just related the former were observed a little hair on the was a fair example against the theory of vertex, two small pendulous pieces of flesh mental impressions made upon the mother in the situation of the ears, to which they producing deformity in her offspring. Here bore a slight resemblance, but no auditory were two foetuses, one monstrous, the other meatus was present; the nose was wanting; naturally formed, and there had been no in about its natural position was a mouth, or fright or mental impression experienced by rather an aperture answering to such ; it the mother. He trusted that when Mr. was very small, and had two distorted lips ; Bree read the account of this case he would there were no arms, but on the right side of be satisfied that, in some instances, deformity the body was a small funnel-shaped process did not depend upon fright, notwithstanding of flesh, about half an inch in length, cor. his case related in THE LANCET.
WESTMINSTER MEDICAL SOCIETY. spiculee.
has
’’ The inaummation of the inner membrane of the bladder extends itself either over the whole bladder, or else is limited to some particular part of it ; most commonly that part of it which adjoins the neck of the bladder is found in a state of inflammation. The inner membrane is sometimes covered with coagulable lymph ; this adventitious substance has been found projecting into the cavity of the bladder; and portions of it, during life, have been occasionally
the decoction of wild carrot seeds and parsly breakstone, small doses of copaiba and essential oil of cubebs, infusion of hops and the alkalies, will, all in their turn, be found useful. " Mercury is not of use in this form of inflammation, excepting at its commence-
pint of water,
ment.
" The greatest attention should be paid to the diet of the patient. Animal food, wine, spirits, and acid drinks, should be inter. dicted; the diet should be light, consisting separated."—p.52. of bland, farinaceous food; and the drink, Having described the pathology of this of water, toast and water, and linseed tea; alfection, and the different diseases with but not to such an extent as to increase, in which it might be confounded, Mr. Coulson any very considerable degree, the secretion of urine. The patient should also be kept thus explains the treatment :as quiet as possible, and in rather a warm Blood should be taken at the commence- temperature."—pp. 55—58. ment by the application of leeches to the The above extracts will enable the reader hypogastric region, and they should be repeated so long as the severity of the pain to form an opinion of the merits of Mr. continues, and the strength of the patient Coulson’s treatise. will allow. Commonly, however, the loss of much blood cannot be borne. The most valuable remedy at the early stage is morphium or opium (I prefer the former), given in sufflcient doses to allay the pain about BRITISH MEDICAL ASSOCIATION, the bladder and along the urethra, as well EXETER HALL. as the frequent desire to pass the urine. These are the most distressing of the whole Tuesday, February 12th, 1839. class of symptoms ; and if unmitigated, they soon wear out and exhaust the strength of DR. WEBSTER in the Chair. the patient; but if only a few hours’inter- New members proposed and elected :mission be obtained in the day, some chance P. ’V. Bain, Esq., M D., Blackwall, may exist for the recovery of the patient. F. G. Fowke, Esq., Dover-road, w In addition to the internal use of opium,
morphium, anodyne injections, or suppositories, should be exhibited at bedtime, and great relief will be -experienced from their or
T.
Hodges, Esq.
Mr. John Rodney Ward, of Bridgewater, forwarded a guinea, with the request that Some practitioners recommend the he might be received a member of the Asso. use. injection of oil and opium, and other reme- ciation ; but no one oflering to propose him, dies, into the hladder, by means of a gum he could not be elected, and the prottered elastic catheter; and in one of my patients subscription was returned. A letter was read by the President, from this plan had been tried at the suggestion of an eminent physician, prior to the patient Mr. Heyward, of Egham, complaining that being placed under my care, bnt no benefit the system of tender had again been resorted In fact, to, and that a stranger had been introduced was derived from this treatment. the pain and irritation which are experienced into the Union. The President was requested from the introduction of any instrument to communicate with Mr. Heyward, and to along the urethra, are so severe, as to deter elicit the particulars of the case to which me from employing this plan ; and unless that gentleman had directed the attention of there be retention of urine, which is very the Council. A discussion took place upon a document rare in this form of disease, the use of the catheter, sounds, and bougies, should be par- entitled " Propositions relative to the Education and Privileges of Graduates in Mediticularly avoided. " It will be advantageous to employ cotin- cine, and Medical Practitioners, agreed on ter-irritation above the pubes; and the hip- by the Medical and Surgical Assessors in bath at night will be found very serviceable. the University, the Royal College of Phy" In the treatment of these cases, how- sicians, and the Royal College of Surgeons, ever, we find that no remedy, opium or Edinburgh." In consequence of the exten. morphium, perhaps, excepted, long retains sive bearing of the subject, its consideration any influence over this complaint. The was deferred until the next meeting. Numerous subscriptions to the MEDICAL practitioner must be armed with a variety of agents, so as to be able to substitute one for CORONErt’s ELECTION FUND were received; anuther when it loses its effect. An infusion and a great portion of the evening was em. of diosma, in the proportion of an ounce to a ployed in forwarding this business. The
769
following is
the substance of the conversa- stance that Mr.
Wakley
had
manfully
come
forward to assert their cause. He believed tion. The PRESIDENT considered that the election that Mr. Waklev would be successful; but -
of a Medical Coroner in Middlesex would be a great triumph for the medical profession. It was notorious that the medical profession was held in much less estimaThe clergy had tion than it deserved. endowment from the statean ample rioted in rich benefices—and sent their Exeters and their Londons to the Lords, to browbeat the Government and vindicate the privileges of their order. The Army and Navy had their representatives-ready on all occasions to assert their utility and glory. The lawyers sent Chancellors and Judges to the Lords, and some sixty barristers to the the Commons; the consequence was that the Government was compelled to inundate all the public offices and commissions with briefless barristers, and on every occasion to set aside members of the medical profession, in every place where there was either emolument or honour to be reaped. The inspectors of factories, who had to ascertain the effects of factory labour upon the poor children’s health, were not medical men. Only one of the inspectors of prisons was a medical man. The members of the medical profession were driven to compete for some hundred a year at prisons; or to contend in the arena of the workhouses, or courts of guardians, for paltry salaries which would scarcely enable them to supply the suffering poor with remedies. The prospect, he confessed, was gloomy-the degradation deep ; but the members of the medical profession must look to their own right arms for salvation. They must display public spirit; look before them at ultimate consequences; and be ready to make present sacrifices for their attainment ; without this it was in vain to expect to see the medical profession elevated to its natural, useful and honourable position in Society. He considered that one of the first and most practical modes of forwarding the spirit of improvement which had begun to manifest itself, was the placing medical men in offices where they could be serviceable to the country—more serviceable than any other class or profession of men. The Coronership He admitted that was one of those offices. some knowledge of law was required in this office ; a little more perhaps than was possessed by some magistrates ; but what was that compared with the medical knowledge, the skill in the multifarious, diflicult, complicated doctrines of medical jurisprudence, which were indispensable, if the Coroner wished to conduct the inquest into the causes of death satisfactorilyThis was all certain. It would, ere long, be universally admitted. But at present it needed a powerful champion in Middlesex, and one who had a strong hold on the freeholders. He therefore congratulated the Council and the Association on the circum-
he must call upon his brethren to use their utmost exertions, and to come forward in a determined manner if they meant to ensure and share the triumph. He would, however, refer to his letter for further details. Mr. DAVIDSON thought the profession was only powerless because no means had been taken to organise its resources. He believed that this subscription, and the energy displayed at the present election, would be of great use in showing the isolated members of the medical profession that they were not such feeble or broken reeds as some would have them believe. It would show that they could forget petty and party jealousies, and that they were not the only class in the community who could not generously and zealously work together for a common purpose. He hoped and believed that the results of the subscription list-the sum total, lie meant, at the bottom of it-would prove creditable to a libei-al profession. If waited upon, he had no doubt that every physician, surgeon, and general practitioner in the kingdom,forgetting party differences, and only recollecting the greatness of the cause, and its
bearing
on
the
general interest,-would con-
tribute something to its success. Machiavelli had maintained that men were the sinews of war, and this in opposition to the general opinion; but the great political writer of Florence would have admitted, with every man in England, that the sinews of an election, if they were not of gold, were at least moved, galvanised, by that astonishing metal. He called, therefore, for a strong battery-the plates he would not countand had to express, in concluding, his full confidence in the exertions of his brethren. But what they did he begged they would do
quickly.
-
Mr. W. FARR said that the most respectable members of the legal professionJudges and independent barristers-had not hesitated to state, that no one, who had not received a medical education, could satisfactorily preside over the Coroner’s Court. That opinion had been strongly expressed by the Association. It appeared to be gaining ground among the attorneys; for it was a singular circumstance that no attorney of great credit or standing in the County of Middlesex, had become a candidate for the office of Coroner; and it was not to be conceived that several would not have beenready to offer themselves, if they had not instinctively felt that they were entirely unqualified by education for the discharge of the duties of the Coroner’s oflice. That deep, and he had no doubt conscientious, conviction, appeared to have been momentarily stifled in Mr. Burchell, by his near affinity to the Under-Sherin, and the prospect this gave him of success. Besides, as no modi,
70 He was came forward, he might, natu- and, in fact, in every other county. rally enough, have concluded that he should not going to pronounce a panegyric upon not make the first, or the worst, of what he Mr. Wakley, even for electioneering purmay have admitted was a bad, inefficient poses, but it must be said, and no one could class-Attorney Coroners. As soon as a contradict it, that Mr. Wakley had always medical candidate appeared, and Mr. Wak- devoted himself to the true interests of the ley, the champion of the medical cause, was medical profession, with undeviating fidelity, announced, Mr. Burchell listened to his with singleness of purpose, through evil and He had, perhaps, conscientious scruples—his relationship to through good report. the Under-slxeriif appeared to him in a new fallen into error in some matters of detail; light, and he disappeared. Mr. Adey, who his ardour and the contemplation of abuses had failed from the horizon before Mr. Bur- had, perhaps, led him sometimes to express cal candidate
then showed himself a second time- himself strongly, but no one ever saw him and advertised his "small merits,"-but shrink from the support of truth, or flinch an with what intentions, besides those of put- instant from the high office he had underting the medical candidate to expense, it taken. Turnover the pages of THE LANCET, It was not easy to and no instance of tergiversation would be was difficult to divine. say what this candidate’s views of his qua- discovered ; no savour of corruption ; no lifications for the office might be, or what sleeping and no slumbering where the subsection of his profession, or what party he stantial interests of the great body of the represented, as he was quite unknown. This, profession were concerned. In this straight. however, Mr. Adey perhaps considered an forward career how many sacrifices must advantage, as he expressed a desire not to have been made those acquainted with the appeal to the electors’ prejudices. No at- history of the press best knew. This contempt should be made to procure the retire- duct-like honesty of every kind-was its ment of the legal candidate-of Mr. Adey- own reward. THE LANCET, in carrying medi-
chell,
who had taken such energetic measures to his cause and his profession with glory. He was glad Mr. Wakley had come forward, but confessed that he scarcely expected at first that that gentleman would have become a candidate. A medical man called on him (Mr. F.) and expressed a disposition to contest the office with Mr. Burchell if Mr. Wakley would not ; to which he did not hesitate to answer that it could scarcely be expected Mr. Wakley, with his present engagements, would undertake the onerous duties of the oflice for the remuneration attached to it, or the honour of the appointment. The gross receipts of the office were said to be 11001. a year: and there were two inquests a day, on an average, in different parts of the county. Four horses were required, and attendants had to be paid. A clerk was indispensable. So that the remuneration was reduced to an inconsiderable sum when these necessary deduc.tions were made. He was gratified to learn that Mr. Wakley did not look at the matter in merely a pecuniary light; for it would be admitted by all parties that, in the hands of any other candidate, the medical cause would have had but a poor chance of success, opposed to the brother of the Under-Sheriff and the attorneys of Middlesex. What was the state of things ? Here was the Coronership of Middlesex declared vacant, which Mr. Wakley had before contested-an office which he was the first to assert could only be tilled efficiently by medical men,-and no medical candidate carne forward that was likely to ensure a majority of the freeholders’ suffrages,—the place and the principle were about to be sacrificed, and another attorney coroner was about to hoist his victorious cover
flag
over our
fallen
cal information into every part of the kingdom, had done incalculable good, and had very naturally obtained a more extensive circulation than any other medical journal in Europe. If Mr. Wakley had always asserted the rights of the profession in THE LANCET, he had not deserted their interests in the House of Commons. The Medical Witnesses’ Act was one proof of it: the late inquiry before the Poor-Law Committee was another. The Association had stated, and they knew it to be true, that but for Mr. Wakley the evidence would probably never have been given, or have been given very
and unsatisfactorily. With of Mr. Wakley’s unabated devotion to the principles which he had always advocated, it was not surprising that he should overlook the labour, the risk, and the great pecuniary sacrifices which the contest involved, to assert the important prin. ciple that men who have received a medical education are alone qualified to fill the office. No doubt, however, could be entertained that Mr. Wakley would be returned free of expense, if the friends of the cause would exert themselves in the slightest degree. It was rumoured that the contest would cost 3000l. Why, if a fifth part of the profession subscribed one guinea each the sum would be raised. If the medical witnesses would subscribe half the guineas they had earned and received, since the passing of the bill, the sum would be exceeded. It would be very strange if, on an emergency, the medical profession could not raise a rent, equal to the annual rent raised by the poor peasantry of Ireland for a purely political purnot surprised pose. He had said he w&ts that Mr. Wakley became a candidate; he
imperfectly these proofs
profession in Middlesex, should
be
surprised and ashamed if, iu this
771
extremity ; ; no external parts of generation existed ; the body of 1830. Mr. HOOPER, Mr. CRISP, Mr. EVANS, and terminated in a left leg, which was, comother gentlemen made several observations, paratively speaking, well-formed ; the foot which we are unable to give, as our report had but three toes. Immediately !beneath has already extended to a considerable the skin the cellular tissue was distended in all directions by a large quantity of length. The meeting was adjourned to Tuesday limpid fluid. The head, which now bears some slight resemblance to a cat’s in general next. configuration, has an occipital, parietal, and
Wakley had a farthing to pay, in responding to the right upper addition to the 50001. sunk in the election the funis was in its proper place case, Mr.
-
frontal bones, from which stand out numerous There are no orbits or nasal cavities. The lower-jaw, rudely formed, is anchylosed to the skull, and contains a few Saturday, February 9, 1839. sockets, and fewer teeth. In the situation of the mouth is an opening through which a Mr. HALE THOMSON, President. bougie might be passed into a short canal MONSTROUS BIRTH.—DOES THE MIND OF THE which terminates in the neck, in a cuI de MOTHER INFLUENCE THE FORMATION OF sac ; the anterior paries of this pouch being HER OFFSPRING ?—REMARKABLE BIRTHS.formed by the tongue, whose base is conSINGULAR MALFORMATIONS. nected with an os hyoides, there being to Mr. E. CANTON exhibited a monster to the the latter a right omo-hyoid muscle atSociety, and related the following particulars. tached. On either side is a clavicle, one The woman who was delivered of this lusus tolerably well formed, the other but a rough naturœ was thirty-three years of age, and specimen ; the clavicles occupy their proper the mother of seven well-formed children. place. The scapulx are small and surShe was taken in labour of her eighth child rounded by muscular bundles. The sternoon the 27th of November last, and was mastoid muscles are well developed, having attended by Mr. Skegg, of Trafalgar-square. theirordinary origin and insertion ; the right The labour was not tedious, and she was pectoralis major is very perfect, and has its soon delivered of a well-formed female insertion into the part answering to the right child. It was found after this delivery that arm ; some abdominal muscles existed ; the the womb was still occupied by something, vascular portion of the funis consists of an and after a time this proved to be the artery and a vein ; the latter passes upwards monster exhibited, and which was brought behind the sternum, first giving off a small through the external parts with some diffi- branch to the mesentery, it then bifurcates eulty. On examination, it was found that and branches go off in the direction of the the infant and monster had been contained carotid, inferior maxillary, the subclavian, ocin the same membranes, there being two cipital, internal carotid, and axillary arteries; placentae united at their edges ; the umbili- from the lower part of the vein a branch cal chord of the monster being unusually passes in front of the intestines to the thigh ; short and small. The woman has done well, the umbilical artery is uninjected, and not and does not remember having had any fright traced ; behind the sternum is a membranous during her pregnancy. The weight of the pouch, about the size of a chesnut, which no ingress to it; several coils of intesmalformed growth was four pounds two ounces. The circumference of the largest tines pass off from this, and the bowel terpart was sixteen inches, and the length from minates in a cul de sac; the left kidney the vertex to the toes, sixteen and a half occupies its usual situation ; two nerves inches. The monster appeared to the nar- issue from the base of the brain, and convergrator to come under the second class of mal- ing, descend to the large pouch alluded to ; formations described by Dr. Denman, de- these, it was presumed, would answer to pending on deficiency or want of parts. the pneumogastric nerves, and were the The appearance it presented before dissection only ones he had met with in the dissecwas exactly that of a hand of pork. The tion ; the placentae were adherent. head and body were incorporated, and on Dr. JOHNSON thought the case just related the former were observed a little hair on the was a fair example against the theory of vertex, two small pendulous pieces of flesh mental impressions made upon the mother in the situation of the ears, to which they producing deformity in her offspring. Here bore a slight resemblance, but no auditory were two foetuses, one monstrous, the other meatus was present; the nose was wanting; naturally formed, and there had been no in about its natural position was a mouth, or fright or mental impression experienced by rather an aperture answering to such ; it the mother. He trusted that when Mr. was very small, and had two distorted lips ; Bree read the account of this case he would there were no arms, but on the right side of be satisfied that, in some instances, deformity the body was a small funnel-shaped process did not depend upon fright, notwithstanding of flesh, about half an inch in length, cor. his case related in THE LANCET.
WESTMINSTER MEDICAL SOCIETY. spiculee.
has